Movie Night 1-10-07

We took a chance for movie night last night and chose a very recent movie. Before 2046 the youngest movie we'd watched was released in 1970.
I've heard lots of good things about Wong Kar Wai and there are definitely things in 2046 that impress me: Every scene is really pretty, almost always very tight on the characters, usually just one man and one woman, suggesting both the intimacy and claustrophobia of the relationships; the acting is subtle and interesting; and it's clear that Wong Kar Wai is an artist with something to say, and a vision of how to say it.
But, overall 2046 is a vivid mess. Kar Wai apparently wants cultural events to serve as a backdrop to the stories, but their meaning and impact upon the characters is never really examined. The "2046" gimmick is another empty layer that basically only adds confusion to what is really a very simple story. By the end even the beautiful visuals become monotonous.
That's all pretty harsh I guess, because the movie did have some interesting aspects and I wouldn't write even this much about a film that didn't affect me in some way. I guess I need to look forward to the directors next work. And to next movie nights selection being an old one.